A new law backed by Shia lawmakers in Iraq could force young girls to become wives, potentially as young as nine years old, by lowering the legal age of consent from 18 to 9. The proposed legislation allows for arranged marriages, effectively granting parents the right to marry off their daughters at a very young age.

While Iraq lacks a male guardianship system requiring a woman to seek permission from a husband, father, or other male guardian for major life decisions, including marriage, the law would enable religious authorities to conduct these marriages.

The proposed law, currently in its second parliamentary reading, has drawn fierce opposition from women MPs and activist groups.

“This is a catastrophe for women,” said Raya Faiq, coordinator for a coalition of groups opposing the law change, which also includes some Iraqi MPs.

“My husband and my family oppose child marriage. But imagine if my daughter gets married and my daughter’s husband wants to marry off my granddaughter as a child. The new law would allow him to do so. I would not be allowed to object. This law legalizes child rape.”

The new law would bring back a Taliban-style of slashing . 

Iraqi citizens have staged protests in Baghdad and other cities across the country, often encountering clashes with law enforcement.

Although marriage under 18 has been legal in Iraq since the 1950s, a Unicef survey revealed that 28% of Iraqi girls marry before reaching the age of 18.

Nadia Mahmood, co-founder of the Iraq-based Aman Women’s Alliance, believes the male-dominated Iraqi parliament feels threatened by the growing influence of youth organizations and women.

“Following the which took place in Iraq in 2019, these political players saw that the role of women had begun to strengthen in society,” said, according to a report by the Guardian. “They felt that feminist, gender and women’s organizations, plus civil society and activist movements, posed a threat to their power and status … [and] began to restrict and suppress them.”

Twenty-five female members of the Iraqi government have attempted to prevent the law from reaching a second vote, but they claim strong opposition from their male MP colleagues has made it virtually impossible.

“Unfortunately, male MPs who support this law speak in a masculine way, asking what’s wrong with marrying a minor? Their thinking is narrow-minded. They don’t take into consideration that they are the legislators that determine people’s fate … but rather follow their masculine thinking to authorize all this,” said Alia Nassif, an Iraqi MP.

Protesters fear that future generations could face an even harsher future if the law changes are adopted. 

“I have one daughter, I don’t want her to be forced like me to marry as a child,” said Azhar Jassim, who was forced to leave school and marry at 16.